Bastrop State Park Burns, Historic Buildings Saved

The massive wildfire tearing through Bastrop County has scorched two-thirds or more of the 6,500 acre Bastrop State Park. But Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials say they have made substantial progress in an effort to save historic buildings in the park.

Many of Texas state parks were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, a Depression-era job creation program. As such, the cabins, a refectory, and other structures at Bastrop State Park are considered historic. Texas Parks and Wildlife has this on-line exhibit with more on the history of the 1930s effort to construct state parks.

Texas Parks and Wildlife used heavy equipment to dig fire lanes around the areas they are trying to protect. The Texas Department of Transportation brought in tanker trucks of water that were used to saturate the ground around the buildings. Crews also soaked the wooden shingles of the structures so that falling embers would not set them on fire.

And while you may mourn the loss of thousands of acres of pine trees in the park, officials say wildfires are actually part of the natural cycle of life for the protected habitat.

“As long as personal property and lives are not lost, the land actually benefits from these burns, as bizarre as that seems,” Texas Parks and Wildlife spokesman Mike Cox told KUT News. “Once it starts raining again, the pine trees will come back and the park probably will be more verdant than ever.”

The Pedernales One/Spicewood fire, which was about 40 percent contained Monday evening

The Steiner Ranch fire, which was about 25 percent contained Monday evening

The Leander fire, which is now mostly contained

The University of Texas at Austin, one of the largest employers in the region, will provide paid time off for employees who were forced to evacuate, experienced property damage, or lost their homes. Employees can apply for disaster leave through their department head, or for financial relief from the Staff Emergency Fund.

“As long as personal property and lives are not lost, the land actually benefits from these burns, as bizarre as that seems,” Texas Parks and Wildlife spokesman Mike Cox told KUT News. “Once it starts raining again, the pine trees will come back and the park probably will be more verdant than ever.”

Meanwhile, the Austin Independent School District says all facilities are expected to open on time Tuesday. Several other Central Texas districts are closing campuses for the fire. That information is here.

Hays County officials say they are ending a mandatory evacuation order for about 210 homes. Light winds, higher humidity and the grueling effort of firefighters has prevented the Pedernales One fire from pushing further into Hays County.

Austin Energy says power has now been restored to Steiner Ranch, except for about 236 homes. They are being kept off the grid until repairs can be made. Those homes are on Steiner Ranch Boulevard between John Simpson Trail and Epperson, or in the Medina River Way and McNelly Trail area.

Governor Rick Perry skipped a high-profile Tea Party forum in South Carolina to fly back to Central Texas as wildfires scorch thousands of acres.

“It was a surreal experience today,” Perry said at a news conference with emergency management officials at the Bastrop Convention Center. “I have seen a number of big fires in my life. This one is as mean looking as I’ve ever seen, partly because it’s so close to the city.”

Several school districts will be closed Tuesday as the result of wildfires that have scorched thousands of acres in Central Texas.

Bastrop ISD is closing all schools as fire crews struggle to contain a 25,000 acre wildfire in that community, currently the largest in Central Texas. Bastrop Middle School is being used as a shelter for evacuees.

Leander ISD has several school closures because of the wildfire in the Steiner Ranch area. Laura Bush, Steiner Ranch, and River Ridge elementary schools, and Canyon Ridge and Four Points middle schools will be closed.

Vandegrift high school will also be closed, because it is being used as a Red Cross shelter. Rouse High School is also being used as a shelter, but Leander ISD has not said it if will be closed on Tuesday.